LOCAL SPORTS

Rockies Rip Rangers, 9-2, As Arenado Continues Streak

Posted by Mike Rice

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- With one swing in the first inning, Nolan Arenado quickly took the drama out of whether he would match Colorado's record hitting streak and set the Rockies up for another rout over Texas.

Arenado's two-run double in the first extended his hitting streak to 27 games, matching teammate Michael Cuddyer's record streak from last year. It also put Colorado ahead to stay on way to its third lopsided victory over the Rangers in as many nights, 9-2 on Wednesday.

"Nolan is one of those guys that's really locked in right now, and it was good to see him get that hit in the first at-bat," manager Walt Weiss said. "I think that kind of set the tone."

That was the first of three hits for Arenado, who is hitting .364 (39 of 107) in the streak that started a month ago Friday. His streak is the longest for anyone 23 years or younger since Albert Pujols had a 30-gamer in 2003 when he was 23.

"It's pretty cool, pretty cool," Arenado said. "I'm trying to stay within myself, I'm not trying to get too big, or trying to hit the home run. I'm just trying to hit the ball hard. I'm going to keep on saying that until the year is over."

Carlos Gonzalez homered for Colorado, which has outscored Texas 29-5 in three games this week. The Rockies won 8-2 and 12-1 at home with a combined 34 hits before the teams shifted to Texas for two games.

"We've got to ride this wave while it's going good," said Weiss, whose team's 22 wins are tied for the most in the majors.

Every starter had a hit for the Rockies, who finished with 16 and got 12 of them in 3 2/3 innings off Colby Lewis (2-2).

Jorge De La Rosa (4-3) struck out four and walked three. The lefty gave up two runs over six innings while winning its fourth consecutive start.

Adrian Beltre homered for Texas and became only the fifth player in major league history with 100 home runs for three different teams.

After not getting a hit until his fifth plate appearance Tuesday night, Arenado wasted no time Wednesday. His double followed consecutive two-out hits by MLB-leading hitter Troy Tulowitzki (.414) and Gonzalez.

Lewis got the first two batters out in each of the first three innings before allowing multiple hits each time. But the Rockies failed to score in the second and again in the third, when Arenado was tagged out halfway between third and home by first baseman Prince Fielder after Colorado had two runners caught between bases.

The last nine batters faced by Lewis had six singles in a row and consecutive sacrifice flies by Corey Dickerson and Tulowitzki before Gonzalez homered, his seventh of the season capping a five-run fourth to make it 7-0. Lewis had allowed 12 hits twice before, including against Colorado at home two years ago.

"I got beat. That's all there is to it," Lewis said. "I think Colorado just needs to leave town."

Colorado had 13 hits before Texas finally got Michael Choice's one-out single in the fourth. Beltre followed with his homer to straightaway center, his second this season after hitting the first a night earlier.

Beltre, in his fourth season with Texas, previously hit 147 homers for the Los Angeles Dodgers (1998-2004) and 103 homers for Seattle (2005-09).

The other players with 100 homers for three different teams are Darrell Evans (Atlanta, San Francisco and Detroit), Reggie Jackson (Kansas City/Oakland, New York Yankees, California), Alex Rodriguez (Seattle, Texas and Yankees) and Jim Thome (Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago White Sox).

It was only Baker's fifth relief appearance in 167 career major league games, most with the Minnesota Twins from 2005-11 before the right-hander had Tommy John surgery in April 2012. He made three starts for the Chicago Cubs last September.

"He came in and gave us a chance," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "He settled in and started getting some outs, but we wasn't able to get to them."

Game Notes

Rangers 2B Donnie Murphy left the game with a neck strain after tripping over first base trying to beat out a grounder to end the sixth. ... Colorado throws another lefty Thursday in Franklin Morales (3-1, 5.05 ERA). Weiss said Morales is finding his rhythm as a starter again after being a reliever the past 5 years. Colorado has won his last four starts after losing his first two.